Each month we round up some of the top stories in space, entrepreneurship, innovation, finance and technology.
Here’s our round-up for September:
SpaceX signs up Japanese billionaire for circumlunar BFR flight
SpaceX announced on Sept. 17 that a Japanese billionaire will be paying an undisclosed but significant sum to buy a flight of the company’s next-generation rocket for a flight around the Moon carrying a group of artists. Read more here.
Israeli moon lander to ride SpaceX rocket in Spaceflight’s first move beyond low Earth orbit
SpaceIL’s lunar lander is go for launch as a secondary payload on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that’s due to send a telecommunications satellite into geosynchronous orbit, Seattle-based Spaceflight announced. Read more at Geekwire.
Commercial crew providers believe they now meet NASA safety requirements
Boeing and SpaceX, who have been struggling to meet safety thresholds established by NASA for commercial crew vehicles, now believe their vehicles can meet those requirements as they prepare for test flights scheduled in the next several months. See more at SpaceNews.
Jeff Bezos Says Blue Origin Will Put People in Space in 2019
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said Wednesday that his separate Blue Origin space-launch company will launch a crewed mission in 2019. Bezos made his remarks at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference in Washington, D.C. Bezos didn’t clarify if this meant crew or passengers. Read more at Fortune.com.
LUXEMBOURG LAUNCHES BUSINESS-FOCUSED NATIONAL SPACE AGENCY
The Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) officially launched operations this month with the goal of promoting the further economic development of the Grand Duchy’s space industry by attracting businesses, developing human resources, providing innovative financial solutions and supporting educational and research infrastructure. Official press release here.